Implement for opening and sealing jars



Apr. 3, 1923.

1,450,587 F. A. FROST IMPLEMENT FOR OPENING AND SEALING JARS Filed Oct. 24, 1921 PI i: Fig. l. 12 I I0 5 Inyenror. Fredernc A. Frosr A1 tys.

Patented Apr. 3, 1923..

UNITED stares FREDERIC A. FROST, OF WEST NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPLEMENT FOR OPENING AND SEALING JARS.

Application filed October 24, 1921. Serial No. 509,872.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Fnnoniuo A. Fnosr, a citizen of the UnitedtStates, and resident of West Newton county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Implements for Opening and Sealing Jars, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to an implement designed to assist in opening preserve ars by lifting the top sufiioiently to break the vacuum, the implement being also constructed so that it can be used for sealing the jars.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the manner in which the device is used for sealing a preserve jar and for lifting it from the container in which the processing is done;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the manner in which the device is used for opening a jar or loosening thecap thereof; and

i Fig. 4b is a section on the line 47-4, Fig. 1.

The device herein illustrated is specially designed for opening and sealing the type of preserve jar in which the cap 1 is secured to the neck 2 by means of a wire bail 3 which embraces the top and is pivotally connected at 4 to the locking wire 5, the latter being pivoted at 15 to a wire 17 that encircles the neck of the jar. This type of preserve jar is one which is very commonly used and the sealing of the jar after the cap 1 is applied involves pressing the locking wire 5 downwardly from the full to the dotted line position, Fig. 2. In opening the jar it is necessary to pry up the cap 1 sufficiently to allow air to enter and thus break the vacuum after -which the cap can'be readily removed.

In order to accomplish this function of prying up the cap 1 to open the jar I have made my implement with a body 6 of a shape to be readily grasped by ones hand and having at one end a hook portion 7 which constitutes a fulcrum element adapted to engage the locking wire 5, and also having a cap-loosening projection 8 extending laterally therefrom in a direction opposite to that in which the hook faces. This projection 8 is preferably pointed so that it will readily enter between the cap 1 and the rubber gasket 9, and I will also preferably make it slightly concave transversely or with a groove 10.

In using the device to open a jar the looking wire 5 will be released and the bail 3 will then be swung down to one side as shown in Fig. 3, after which the fulcrum hook 7 of the instrument is inserted into the wire 5 as shown and the cap loosening prong 8 is placed at the joint between the cap and the gasket 9. Pressure is then applied on the implement in the direction of the arrow a, during which the implement fulcrums on the fulcrum hook 7 and the prong 8 is crowded into the joint between the cap 1 and the gasket 9. The implement is of such a length as to give good leverage for this purpose with the result that comparatively little force is required to drive the prong 8 sufficiently intothe joint between the cap 1 and the gasket 9 to break the Vacuum. This breaking of the vacuum is facilitated by the presence of the groove 10 because this groove readily admits air as the prong 8 is forced into the joint.

Where the device is to be used for sealing jars also I propose toprovide it with the downturned hook 11 preferably situated adjacent the end. In sealing a jar the hook 11 is engaged with the locking wire 5 as shown in Fig. 2 and then downward pressure is applied which will carry the locking wire from the full to the dotted line position thus sealing the jar.

This instrument is specially useful in sealing jars during the so-called cold pack process of canning. In carrying out this process the jars filled with the material to be preserved are kept submerged in boiling water for a proper length of time to thoroughly process the contents. During this processing the cap lis on the jar and is retained in place by the bail 3 but the jar is not sealed, the locking wire 5 being in the full line position, Fig. 2. It is advisable to seal the jars when they are processed before they are removed from the container and while they are still submerged in the boiling water. To do this with my implement it is merely necessary to insert the implement into the water as shown in Fig. 2 and to engage the hook 11 with the locking wire 5 and then to press downward thereby to force the lock ing wire into the dotted line position.

After the jar is sealed it may be lifted from the container by the hook T, and the latter, therefore, functions not only as fulcrum hook but also has a jar-lifting hook. To thus liftthe sealed jar from its submerged position in the container. the hook T is engaged with the locking Wire 3, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and this may be readily done While the jar is still submerged. The may then be lifted from the container and placed in any desirable position.

With my improved implement. therefore, an operator may seal the jar and lift it from the container Without tcuchii it with her hand, thus tlVOlhlilf' all possible danger of injury from handling a hot jar.

While I have illustrated herein an implement ha ving the combined features of a aropening device and a jar-sealing device, yet- I Wish to state that a device having the aropening feature only, comes Within my invention; and While during the canning season it is, of course. highly desirable to have the jar-sealing feature yet the jaropening feature is one which will be useful the year around.

The fulcrum hook '7 and cap-loosening projection 8 may be formed in various Ways Without. departing from my invention. In the construction shown the body 6 is made of Wire or a small rod bent into the desired shape and the hooks 7 and 11 and the prong 8 are formed on strip of sheet metal 12 which is secured to the end of the body. This sheet metal has one end bent to form the hook 7 and has a portion struck up therefrom to form the hook 11. The prong 8 is formed by bending the other end of the sheet metal laterally and giving it the desired pointed and grooved shape. This sheet metal member 12 can be secured to the body 6 in various ways. One Way is to slit the end of the body and insert the sheet metal element into the slit. said element being formed with an opening 13 to receive the portion of the body at one side of the slit. The two parts can be secured together by a suitable rivet ll. This, however is only one way in which the device might be made, and therefore I do not Wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

I claim.

1. A device of the class described com prising a body portion constituting a handle having at one end thereof on one side a fulcrum hook to engage and fulcrum on the Wire of a preserve jar and cap-loosening prong on the opposite side extendinglaterally from the body member in a direction opposite to that in which the hook faces and adapted to enter between the cap and the gasket thereby to loosen the cap.

L. A device of he class described comprising a body portion constituting a handle having at one end thereof at. one side a fulcrum hook to engage and fulcrum on the Wire of a preserve jar, and a cap-loosening prong on the opposite side extending laterally from the body member in a direction opposite to that in which the hook faces and adapted to enter between the cap and the gasket thereby to loosen the cap, said prong having a groove through which air is admitted to the jar as said prong is forced between the cap and the gasket.

8. A device of the class described comprising a body portion constituting a handle having at one end thereof on one side a fulcrum hook to engage and fulcrum on the Wire of a. preserve jar, and a cap-loosening prong on the opposite side extending laterally from the body member in a direction opposite to that in which the hook faces and adapted to enter between the cap and the gasket thereby to loosen the cap, said body having a Wire-engaging projection to enthe locking Wire and by which it may be forced into locking position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERIC A. FROST. 

